Student CubeSats undergo tests at ESA Academy’s CubeSat Support Facility
18/02/2020
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ESA’s Fly Your Satellite! programme is offering the up coming era of researchers and engineers the probability to develop CubeSatsand function them in house. Two of the teams having part in the 2nd cycle of Fly Your Satellite!, EIRSAT-one( College University Dublin) and LEDSAT (Sapienza College of Rome) have lately concluded testing pursuits for some of their nano-satellites subsystems, placing them one particular move closer to launch.
In November 2019, the EIRSAT-one workforce travelled to the CubeSat Aid Facility (CSF) at ESEC-Galaxia in Belgium to perform vibration testing for the EMOD payload applying an Electrodynamic Shaker. EMOD, a thermal coatings experiment, was shaken applying a range of vibration profiles in x, y, and z axis configurations, simulating the mechanical stresses that the equipment will endure through a actual rocket launch into orbit. EMOD passed the accomplishment requirements to be experienced for launch.
Also, in November, the LEDSAT workforce carried out environmental exams to some of their payload parts. The LED controller boards and LEDs have been loaded into the CSF’s Electrodynamic Shaker to check for survivability to the vibrations of launch and in the Thermal-Vacuum Chamber for testing the electronic parts and soldering in house-like problems. As these very same parts will fly on-board the satellite, exclusive care is required to not in excess of-strain the parts. Following each stage of testing, the workforce carried out functional exams and inspections, which include powering up the LED array. All exams have been successful, and the boards have been as a result readied for assembly into the satellite.
The EIRSAT-one workforce returned to ESEC-Galaxia in February 2020 to qualify added equipment: the Gamma-ray burst detector Module (GMOD), and the Antenna Deployment Mechanism (ADM) showcasing the antenna aspects. The equipment was pressured to better stages than would be envisioned in truth, offering engineers confidence that the spacecraft layout is capable of meeting the operational mission temperature, vacuum, and launch environments. The Electrodynamic Shaker and Thermal-Vacuum Chamber of the facility have been employed for the 1st time in parallel – requiring thorough planning from the college students and the operators of the CSF. The EIRSAT-one workforce have been delighted with the benefits of this most up-to-date spherical of testing.
In the course of testing campaigns at the CSF, college students have the opportunity to draw on the knowledge of ESA gurus to enable them get ready and operate the take a look at campaigns. This supports the Fly Your Satellite! programme’s intention to empower ESA gurus to share with college students their expertise and it permits college students to conduct industry-common exams demanded for a successful mission.
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